Improvement in blotters



S. H. MERRILL.

Biotter. N0. 328,556, Patentedjuly 2,1872.

UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

' SIMEON H. MERRILL, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BLOTTERS.

SPECIFICATION.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SnvIEoN H. MERRILL, of Washington, in the county of Washington and District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improved Blotter; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification and to the letters and figures marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts in a blotter to be used upon the desk, table, or counter, as hereinafter particularly described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of myinvention, partlyin section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, showing the blotter combined with a paper-weight and penrack. Fig. 3 is also a side elevation, showing a modification of Fig. 1.

A represents a board or metallic plate, near one edge of which is a cylindrical tube or casin g, B, which may be formed in one piece with the board or plate, or attached afterward, as may be preferred. Inclosed in the tube or casing B are twospiral springs, D D, one of them being a right-hand spring and the other a lefthand spring. These springs may be covered with cloth, leather, or other soft fabric, if desired, to prevent noise in turning. The outer ends of the springs are secured to small cylinders N inside of the tube or casing B, and the inner ends of the wires composing the springs may project slightly, as shown at d d, Fig. 1, if desired. 0 represents a board or plate, to

Y which blotting-paper G is attached. It may be made of wood, pasteboard or metal, as may be desired. It is provided with flanges c c on two sides, and the blotting-paper is attached and held in place by slipping the edges of the paper under the flanges c c. Projecting from the ends of the inner cylinder N, at right angles with its axis, are two rods, 12 b, for attaching the plates A and O to each other. The plate 0 may have tubes formed on or attached to its edges to receive the rods b b or the rods may be soldered or otherwise secured to the edges, as may be preferred. Instead of the Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,556, dated July 2, 1872.

rods 1) 11 attached to the ends of the cylinder N, the outer ends of the springs D D may be turned up, so as to be attached to the plate 0, the inner ends being soldered or otherwise fastened t0 the casin g. If desired, the tube B may be made in one piece, and one edge of the plate A rolled around it so as to inolose it. The inner ends of the springs D D meet midway of the length of the tube B, which, at that point, may have a slot formed in it through which the projecting portions d d may protrude and bear against the under side of the plate 0, at or near its lower edge, as shown in Fig. 1, and thus raise the plate 0 to an upright position when not actually in use. Instead of projectin g through the slot, the ends 01 d may be soldered or otherwise fastened to the inside of the inner cylinder N, and said inner cylinder fastened so as to prevent it from turning in the tube or casing; and instead of the rods b b, the outer ends of the Wires composing the springs D D may be secured to the plate 0, if desired. On the upper side of the plate 0, near the upper edge, is a knob, f, which may be covered with rubber or other soft and elastic substance. When the blotter is made in the form shown in Fig. 1, the plate A is slipped under or attached to a portion of the desk, or any other convenient article of sufficient weight, to pre vent displacement by the force of the spring in rising suddenly. In such case, the rubbercovered knob f lessens the noise caused by sudden contact with the desk or other article.

Fig. 2 shows the blotter provided with a weight, K, for holding it in place, so that it may be used in any part of the desk. This weight may be in the form of a simple paperweight; or it may be provided with a pen-rack, k, and a rod or handle, it, for lifting it, and may be either plain or ornamental, as desired. It is provided with rubber-covered knobs or projections, g, for lessening the noise when the plate .0 rises suddenly. The weight K is just sufficiently heavy to prevent displacement of the blotter. It may be merely placed temporarily on the plate A; or it may be securely attached thereto, if desired, either by turning up the edges of the plate A, or by screws or rivets, or in any other suitable manner. When secured to the plate the rod or handle it serves for lifting the entire apparatus. When it is desired to permanently secure the blotter to the desk without using the weight K, or. slipping the plate A under some portion of the desk or other article, I employ the means shown in. Fig. 3, consisting of a brace, M, made in a curved form, and having a rubber-tipped knob, on, at the upper end for the plate 0 to strike against when it rises to an upright position. The brace may have a screw-point, P, made in one piece, with and projecting downward from its foot, so as to pass through the plate A into the desk; or the foot may be formed with one or more lugs perforated to receive nails or screws.

I am aware that a blotter has been made consisting of two boards or plates shutting together like the covers of a book, and provided with a spring for lifting one of the boards. I am also aware that it has been proposed to hinge a blotter to the top of the desk or table with spiral springs placed in a vertical position under the hinges for the purpose of raisingthe blotter. I do not claim, broadly, a blotter provided with springs for operating it; but

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a blotter, the combination and arrangement of the plate A, tube or casing B, coiled springs D D, and board or plate 0, when constructed and operating substantially as shown and described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, the compound implement, herein described, consisting of the blotter, paper weight, and pen-rack, when constructed and arranged substantially as shown and described.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 23d day of April, 187 2.

S. H. MERRILL.

Witnesses:

CHAS. E. KILBY, E. SHUFFLEBOTHAM. 

